Don’t you just love IWSG Day? It comes around the first Wednesday of each month and we get to visit hundreds of blogs that are filled with encouragement. IWSG stands for Insecure Writers Support Group and was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. If you’re interested follow other IWSG members here or on twitter using the hashtag #IWSG. We also have a Facebook page. Hey, we even have a tee shirt!
What have you accomplished since our last IWSG posting? You know, don’t you, that if you actually write down your goals, you’ll come near achieving them. At least that’s what I’ve heard. I’m a list maker so I’ve always written down goals, right along with my grocery list and things to do. Unfortunately, sometimes I don’t look at my list.
I’ve accomplished a few things during the past few weeks. I’ve always wanted to write a series of books about friends. A few weeks ago, I started my series. Every morning I crawl out of bed, grab my coffee and go into my office to write. I’ve finished rough drafts of Book 1, Book 2 and tomorrow I start Book 3. My intention is to write three 15,000 word stories and wrap up the series with a 30,000 word novella. My four friends will show up in each stand-alone story.
I’m pretty excited about this series, but even more excited that I’ve been able to keep my momentum and write. I hope I’m not disappointed when I go back through and read these rough drafts. A couple of times I’ve sat for a moment or two, wondering what was supposed to happen next, but as real writers do… I just opened a vein. Okay, I’m kidding. I opened my heart. I love my characters. Their problems are real. I’m doing the Camp NaNoWriMo thing too–trying to hang on to that momentum.
Another thing I’m excited about is that I’ll be speaking at the Texas Gulf Coast Writers mini-conference in August. More about that later.
What are you working on? What have you accomplished since last month’s IWSG day? We need to get busy and catch our dreams. Let me hear how you’re catching yours.
IWSG DAY: Find the Magic
I look forward to the first Wednesday of each month because it’s IWSG day. The purpose of IWSG is to share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds! (And that would be ME!) IWSG was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh and has hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of members. You can be one too. You can follow other IWSG members or meet them on twitter using the hashtag #IWSG. We also have a thriving Facebook page. Look us over. I think you’ll like us!
And speaking of offering assistance and guidance … I’d like to share a book with you that’s helping me plot a new story. This author is one of my favorites. And she was my editor for The Last Daughter.
Award winning author and editor, Alicia Dean, shares her process of creating a story, along with bonus tips in her how to book, Find The Magic – How to Plot a Story in 10 Easy Steps. Through November 15th, it’s on sale for only 99 cents. I finished reading Find the Magic last week. What I liked best about the book was Alicia’s honest voice. She made me trust her from page one. But why wouldn’t I? I know that she knows what she’s doing when it comes to writing, editing, critiquing and plotting.
Using specific examples from one of her own novels, Without Mercy (also 99 cents), Alicia shares how to plot a book and expand your outline into a well-developed draft. There is no one, perfect way to create a story, but there will be a method, or methods that work for you.
Find the Magic might hold the answers you need.
Kindle: http://amzn.com/B00OR0IY0W
Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/find-the-magic-how-to-plot-a-story-in-10-easy-steps-alicia-dean/1120638115?ean=2940150382169
In addition to being an author of more than twenty published works, Alicia Dean is both a freelance editor and an editor for The Wild Rose Press, under the name, Ally Robertson, in their suspense line. I highly recommend you get too know Alicia through her books, or social media.
Alicia/Ally is one of the good guys and she knows what writing, publishing and marketing is all about.
Website: http://aliciadean.com/ Blog: http://aliciadean.com/alicias-blog/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008364070487 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Alicia_Dean_ Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/aliciamdean/ Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/468339.Alicia_Dean
IWSG DAY! HAPPY ANNIVERSARY
Today is the one year anniversary of the IWSG website and their Facebook group. To celebrate, the IWSG Admins are putting together an anthology, The Insecure Writer’s Support Group Guide to Publishing and Beyond. From my understanding it will be a FREE help book. I’m sure this book will be fantastic; I’ll keep you informed.
I’m writing a short post to encourage you, though I wonder if you really need encouragement. Sometimes I think I’m the only writer in the world who isn’t writing. And it would be so simple to sit down, push everything and everyone out of my mind and write two pages a day. Two lousy pages. No one says they have to be good… they just have to BE. Except I can’t get my mind in the right place.
I got an email from a friend the other day sharing news that an essay he wrote was published in an anthology. He thanked me for being an inspiration to him, for sharing info, offering advice and suggestions and in general, just encouraging him. He doesn’t know how much his words mean to me. On that day, I needed encouragement too and his words offered it. They may not have seemed very important to him, but they told me I’m still on the right track with what I love, what I do and how I do it.
You know, this is what IWSG is all about. Encouraging each other. Don’t you love it?
I want to encourage everyone who reads this to let those people who inspire you or help you in any way know how much you appreciate them. We’re writers and writing notes of appreciation should be important to us. Besides, ignoring those who help us is almost akin to burning a bridge.
I told my friend, Stanley Klemetson, I’d mention the book here. It’s a little pricey, but if you’re interested, ask your library to get it and be sure to read Stan’s essay, Following Dreams Put on Hold. Here’s the press release. The anthology is called:
WRITING AFTER RETIREMENT
Tips for Successful Retired Writers
Unlike previous volumes which focus on how to earn a living while writing in very specific areas, this anthology accurately describes a wide range of different avenues an aspiring author can pursue, either for profit or for personal fulfillment. Speaking directly to retirees, this book opens doors to many other areas worth pursuing; its chapters vary from the inspirational (the importance of linking to a community with similar interests, reconnecting to one’s dreams, seeking inspirational sources) to the quotidian (everyday writing tips, and how to use one’s experience to find subjects to write about).
Writing after Retirement provides a variety of vantage points from published authors and paints a realistic portrayal of what it takes to get started in the industry. This book also includes preparation for the challenges that aspiring writers face, and practical guides for overcoming them.
A range of issues are addressed:
Linking one’s writing to current activities
The nuts and bolts of writing
Planning one’s estate
New career paths
Writing opportunities
Practical advice on how to take that first step
Whether writing for pleasure or for profit, the reader will find plenty to choose from in this collection.
Carol Smallwood co-edited Women on Poetry: Writing, Revising, Publishing and Teaching on the list of Best Books for Writers by Poets & Writers Magazine; Women Writing on Family: Tips on Writing, Teaching and Publishing (2012); Lily’s Odyssey (2010). Her library experience includes school, public, academic, special libraries, teaching, administration, and consulting
Christine Redman-Waldeyer launched Adanna, a print journal for women and about women, in January 2011. Redman-Waldeyer is a poet and assistant professor in the Department of English at Passaic County Community College in New Jersey. She has published three poetry collections.
Writing after Retirement provides a variety of vantage points from published authors and paints a realistic portrayal of what it takes to get started in the industry. This book also includes preparation for the challenges that aspiring writers face, and practical guides for overcoming them.
A range of issues are addressed:
Linking one’s writing to current activities
The nuts and bolts of writing
Planning one’s estate
New career paths
Writing opportunities
Practical advice on how to take that first step
Whether writing for pleasure or for profit, the reader will find plenty to choose from in this collection.
Carol Smallwood co-edited Women on Poetry: Writing, Revising, Publishing and Teaching on the list of Best Books for Writers by Poets & Writers Magazine; Women Writing on Family: Tips on Writing, Teaching and Publishing (2012); Lily’s Odyssey (2010). Her library experience includes school, public, academic, special libraries, teaching, administration, and consulting
Christine Redman-Waldeyer launched Adanna, a print journal for women and about women, in January 2011. Redman-Waldeyer is a poet and assistant professor in the Department of English at Passaic County Community College in New Jersey. She has published three poetry collections.
IWSG: A Blank Mind
Today is IWSG day–the first Wednesday of each month. IWSG stands for Insecure Writers Support Group and was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. You can follow other IWSG members here and on twitter using the hashtag #IWSG.
Our purpose is to share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds.
But unfortunately, I can’t think of one thing to say to you: not one word of encouragement or guidance–no words of wisdom whatsoever. I feel like a blackboard with smears of chalky white. All my ideas and plans have been erased leaving nothing but unidentifiable smudges behind. Ever felt that way?
Obviously, I’m in a funk. Maybe you have a word or two for me.
Success Is A Prayer Away
IWSG is the brainchild of our awesome Alex J. Cavanaugh. If you want to become a part of this group or read posts by other participants, you can find the list here.
If you read my previous post, you know that I’ve been out of state cleaning out my mother’s home. I’m back now, and battling … something. Not flu—maybe a horrible cold. Headache, cough, wheezing; all I want to do is sleep. I have so much to do. I’m behind in everything but all I do is cough and sleep. Since I don’t want to be booted from IWSG for missing a post, here it is:
A thought for you:
No one stumbles into success. It comes through planning, preparing, and some of us believe, the favor of God.
Hope you’re all planning, preparing for success. If you need to study and learn, do it, but don’t quit writing even if you wonder if you’re doing it right. You learn by doing. If you believe in critique groups, then join one. If you don’t know one to join, then start one yourself: a person to person group or an online group. I believe it helps if you all write the same thing but other writers disagree. I also believe you should have some members that are a little more experienced than you are in that critique group. They can pull you up, help improve your writing, and teach you, but don’t hang your hat on them. Don’t be spoon fed. Make sure you study and educate yourself too.
My two cents except for this: there’s nothing wrong with praying for your writing. God created you. He gave you any talent you have. He also gave us freedom of choice so whether you use your talent to glorify Him is something else entirely—between you and Him.Nothing happens by accident. You aren’t going to stumble into that three-book contract. Tell me, what are you doing to achieve writing success in your life?
Insecure Writers’s Support Group: Refresh Yourself
I love the Insecure Writers Support Group. You might want to join and take part. It is the brainchild of Alex J. Cavanaugh, and I can honestly say, I wish I’d created it! What a wonderful brainchild! The purpose of IWSG is to share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of feeling foolish or weak.
Nothing encourages me more than writing (creating) something short, a piece I can begin and finish in a day or two—or a new market to submit to. Sometimes we need a break from our routine, from our long, on-going projects, don’t we? Often creating something different refreshes us. When I want to do something different, I look at the Chicken Soup for the Soul site first. They always have call-outs.
If you’re feeling in a slump, discouraged, just down and out, try something new. Create a greeting card just for fun. What would you say to someone getting a divorce, a new college graduate, a new dad? Usually, what we would really say, we can’t find in a greeting card, right? (There’s probably good reason for that!)I love writing short. I usually over-write, then start cutting to the specified word count. Cutting for me is so much easier than embellishing. I take a hard look at each sentence, each paragraph, then remove words that don’t work, add nothing. Cutting always cheers me a little. It’s like carefully peeling an apple, or carving a fish out of soap. It’s so wonderfully methodical. It forces me to think.
There are so many ways to encourage ourselves, refresh our dreams—our point of view. Keeping submissions circulating is only one way, and writing shorts allows us to keep our work out there on a continuous basis. Poems, flash fiction, book reviews, recipes, greeting cards, personal essays — There’s absolutely no reason to ever give up our writing when there are so many avenues for us to take to publish.
A friend sent me a wonderful quote yesterday, one I need to post over my desk so I can look up and read it when I’m NOT feeling like a writer:
No man is born into the world whose work is not born with him. James Russell Lowell
Think about it, then get busy creating something short to get “in the mail.” Start with Chicken Soup. Remember, you have to go to their website to submit.
How do you refresh yourself when you’re down and out, feeling blah? Share!
Devotional Stories for Wives
One of the biggest roles that a woman can take on in her lifetime is to become a wife. It takes commitment and dedication to remain loving as the years go by, especially when children and the busyness of daily life can sometimes be overwhelming. If you have a brief true story (up to 500 words) that shows how your faith in God has shaped your journey as a wife, please share it along with an applicable Bible verse and a 2-3 sentence prayer. You will receive $100 for each published devotion ($100 due to the shorter word count than our regular books). The deadline date for submissions is February 28, 2013.
Holiday Stories
We are collecting stories for our newest holiday book. Everyone has special memories and stories to tell about Christmas, Chanukah and Kwanzaa – from inspirational and joyous, to heartwarming and humorous. We want to hear about your holiday memories and traditions. NOTE: Please make sure that the stories you are submitting to this book are NEW holiday stories that our editors have not read before. If you have submitted stories to our Christmas books in the past, we have your stories in our database. Also, please make sure your stories are “Santa safe” as we want to keep the magic alive for the young ones. The deadline date for story submissions is February 28, 2013.
Lemons to Lemonade
“When life hands you lemons… make lemonade!” And don’t only make lemonade but squeeze every last drop of juice from that sour lemon to make the sweetest lemonade possible. We are looking for stories that show how you made the best of a difficult situation and how you turned what seemed like a negative into something positive. Did a change in your attitude help? Did a friend give you the boost you needed to get you past what seemed like a dead end? Tell us your success story and how you made it happen. The deadline date for story and poem submissions is February 28, 2013.
Messages from Heaven
We have heard many terrific stories about your own after-death communication experiences since our first Messages from Heaven book came out. It was a national bestseller so we have decided to make another edition, with the theme “Love Never Dies.” If you have a story about receiving a sign or communicating with a loved one after his or her death, we would love to consider it. The deadline date for story and poem submissions is March 31, 2013.
Multitasking Mom’s Survival Guide
Moms are the busiest people in the world! They juggle kids, husbands, jobs, housework, paid work, volunteer work, parents, pets, etc. How do they do it? Sometimes they are successful and get everything done. Sometimes… disasters happen! Busy moms – here is your chance to pass along your words of wisdom, your lessons learned, your funny or embarrassing moments. Pretend you’re talking to a friend and share your wonderful stories with other busy moms. The deadline for story and poem submissions is June 30, 2013.
The Dating Game!
We’re publishing a book on dating! First dates, blind dates, group dates… we want to hear about all of them. Meeting the family, embarrassing moments, break-ups and make-ups… we want all of your war stories. Did you meet your perfect match online? Did you have an office romance or start a relationship with someone who was just a friend? How about first dates after divorce, reconnecting with a person from your past, or even simply finding your happily-ever-after where you least expected it? Tell us everything from love at first sight to dating disasters. For this book, we prefer contemporary stories. They will be favored over stories about events that happened decades ago. We are accepting stories from men and women 18 years and older. The deadline date for story and poem submissions is July 15, 2013
We’re publishing a book on dating! First dates, blind dates, group dates… we want to hear about all of them. Meeting the family, embarrassing moments, break-ups and make-ups… we want all of your war stories. Did you meet your perfect match online? Did you have an office romance or start a relationship with someone who was just a friend? How about first dates after divorce, reconnecting with a person from your past, or even simply finding your happily-ever-after where you least expected it? Tell us everything from love at first sight to dating disasters. For this book, we prefer contemporary stories. They will be favored over stories about events that happened decades ago. We are accepting stories from men and women 18 years and older. The deadline date for story and poem submissions is July 15, 2013